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Re: Transparent Things Group Reading: Chapter I (fwd) (fwd)
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------------------ Persona, not only refers to the Greek actor´s mask ( in
Latin ) but it also means "to sound through" ( "per" /thru,across
sonare/resound ). I'm no Latinist, it's just a reminder because this
meaning might also provide a link to "transparent...through which shines"
and "epiphany", as suggested in a former anonymour ( non-Personal ) posting.
----- Original Message -----
From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, July 08, 2004 3:32 PM
Subject: Re: Transparent Things Group Reading: Chapter I (fwd)
> ------------------
>
> Before I quit chewing this brief chapter to tatters, a couple more
> things come to mind. The first sentence, as others have pointed
> out is a bare direct statement: I would almost have called it a
> "presentative" sentence, like French "voila", or Italia "ecco"
> pointing to both (Hugh) Person (later "You") and I (apparently Mr
> R, who Professor Johnson notes is the mirror or the Russian
> symbol for "I". What's more, this sentence leads eventually to
> the final sentence, and can be rehearsed without text between,
> creating a Finnegans Wake like connection.
>
> The name "Person" is very interesting, and almost leads to to much
> possibility for the reader. For this reason, I'll reject the
> thought that it could be sliced into a first syllable meaning
> "father", namely "per" or "pere" (both exist in this meaning), and
> "son" -- which comes around again in the last sentence.
>
> I find enough to chew on considering that the French "personne"
> (we must always keep in mind that N is tri-lingual) which means
> "nobody": and is for Verne of course the equivalent of Nemo,
> and we know that when young N was fond of Verne. (We could even
> sneak in Ulysses, who used a Greek word for Nobody, but not with
> any comfort.)
>
> But my candidate here (if I have to place my bet on just one square,)
> is with the earlier Classical use of "persona" which meant a
> theater mask: all actors wore these dramatic masks for which the
> Romans had taken the Etruscan word (probably ultimately from Greek).
> Thus the "dramatis personae of TT are masked -- perhaps with other
> theatrical attributes.
>
> I haven't seen any new posts all day: I hope we have't overwhelmed
> our hosts! I shall finish my martini and turn to my usual bedtime
> non-literary junk. Good night all, wherever you are!!
>
> John
>
>
> ---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
>
>
>
> D. Barton Johnson
> NABOKV-L
>
>
---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
D. Barton Johnson
NABOKV-L
Latin ) but it also means "to sound through" ( "per" /thru,across
sonare/resound ). I'm no Latinist, it's just a reminder because this
meaning might also provide a link to "transparent...through which shines"
and "epiphany", as suggested in a former anonymour ( non-Personal ) posting.
----- Original Message -----
From: "D. Barton Johnson" <chtodel@gss.ucsb.edu>
To: <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, July 08, 2004 3:32 PM
Subject: Re: Transparent Things Group Reading: Chapter I (fwd)
> ------------------
>
> Before I quit chewing this brief chapter to tatters, a couple more
> things come to mind. The first sentence, as others have pointed
> out is a bare direct statement: I would almost have called it a
> "presentative" sentence, like French "voila", or Italia "ecco"
> pointing to both (Hugh) Person (later "You") and I (apparently Mr
> R, who Professor Johnson notes is the mirror or the Russian
> symbol for "I". What's more, this sentence leads eventually to
> the final sentence, and can be rehearsed without text between,
> creating a Finnegans Wake like connection.
>
> The name "Person" is very interesting, and almost leads to to much
> possibility for the reader. For this reason, I'll reject the
> thought that it could be sliced into a first syllable meaning
> "father", namely "per" or "pere" (both exist in this meaning), and
> "son" -- which comes around again in the last sentence.
>
> I find enough to chew on considering that the French "personne"
> (we must always keep in mind that N is tri-lingual) which means
> "nobody": and is for Verne of course the equivalent of Nemo,
> and we know that when young N was fond of Verne. (We could even
> sneak in Ulysses, who used a Greek word for Nobody, but not with
> any comfort.)
>
> But my candidate here (if I have to place my bet on just one square,)
> is with the earlier Classical use of "persona" which meant a
> theater mask: all actors wore these dramatic masks for which the
> Romans had taken the Etruscan word (probably ultimately from Greek).
> Thus the "dramatis personae of TT are masked -- perhaps with other
> theatrical attributes.
>
> I haven't seen any new posts all day: I hope we have't overwhelmed
> our hosts! I shall finish my martini and turn to my usual bedtime
> non-literary junk. Good night all, wherever you are!!
>
> John
>
>
> ---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
>
>
>
> D. Barton Johnson
> NABOKV-L
>
>
---------- End Forwarded Message ----------
D. Barton Johnson
NABOKV-L